


tell me im all you want again

by pap_illon



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, RIORDAN Rick - Works, The Demigod Diaries - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Misunderstandings, au where thalia doesn't turn into a tree, jealous luke castellan, luke just wants thalia for himself lmao, so by extension luke doesn't turn evil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:34:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29633328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pap_illon/pseuds/pap_illon
Summary: Sometimes, Luke wished they were still on the run. At least then, he wouldn't have to worry about a third party forcing their way into their dynamic.alternate title: three times luke missed being on the run with thalia and annabeth and one time he didn't
Relationships: Luke Castellan/Thalia Grace
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	tell me im all you want again

**Author's Note:**

> thaluke fandom is small but i hope at least one person enjoys ^^

Luke’s heart roared as he, Thalia, Annabeth and Grover just barely crossed the border to camp. The monsters scratched at the invisible boundary and growled; they had been so close to tearing the half bloods apart. 

The four of them had collapsed in exertion as soon as they had crossed the boundary. They lay there, chests heaving, looking at each other in amazement. 

They had made it. 

They had evaded death despite the efforts of the Lord of the Underworld himself. Luke gasped and clutched his chest. His heart seemed ready to burst. For the past week, monsters of all sorts had been thrown at the four, and Luke had found himself face to face with terrors he had not even known of. But now here they were, finally at a place that promised them safety. 

He beamed and pulled Thalia and Annabeth close. The girls were still trembling, obviously not over the life threatening situation they had so narrowly escaped. They were alive. 

Soon after, campers, nymphs, dryads and a tall middle-aged man (… was that a centaur?) emerged to see the fate of the newest half-bloods. They gathered around them, fussing over their injuries and throwing a billion questions at them. Luke accepted the help heartily, each hand still clasped tightly around Thalia and Annabeth’s hands. Their time as runaways was now over, but they would now start a new life at camp-half blood, one that was safe from monsters and accompanied with new people and new half-bloods, just like them. 

Luke couldn’t wait. 

1\. 

Luke quickly glanced at his wrist and tapped his foot impatiently. It had been a month since they arrived at camp, and he had barely seen Thalia ever since. He guessed he should have expected things wouldn’t be the same as before, when it was just the two of them on the run. Even when Annabeth joined the two, he was hardly apart from Thalia. 

They sat on different tables, slept in different cabins and even trained at different times with different instructors. Even so, they agreed to meet up once in a while, away from the prying eyes of the other campers (they seemed to think he and Thalia were an item, and although he denied it numerous times, they refused to believe him). 

Thalia had agreed to meet him near the creek, but she was running late. Luke kicked a stone impatiently and watched as it dropped in the water. After a few more minutes of sulking, he heard all too familiar huffs and footsteps hurriedly making their way to him. Eagerly, he turned and saw Thalia, red faced and drenched in sweat. 

“Hey! I’m so sorry, Luke, but Chiron wouldn’t let me go. He’s adamant on training me twice as hard. Something about the big three, I…” she trailed off when she saw the look on Luke’s face. Hesitantly, she put a hand on Luke’s back. Luke’s heart fluttered at the small contact. “I really am sorry.” she repeated. 

One look at Thalia’s face, and he knew she’d be forgiven once more. He was always so weak when it came to her. Shaking his head, he smiled at her. “It’s alright, Thalia. Of course you’d be busy, you’ve actually got responsibilities now.” 

Thalia smiled sweetly at him and replied, “I knew you’d understand. Thanks, Luke.” She got on her tiptoes and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. Immediately, he felt his face burn up and looked away. “Let’s go,” he said hastily, trying to hide the colour on his cheeks. 

2\. 

Luke trudged behind Thalia, wondering why she seemed angry. They were assigned a minor quest to retrieve a magical item from the Dictaean Cave, assigned by Apollo himself. They were accompanied by a girl named Victoria, a daughter of Apollo who was currently latched around Luke’s arms after she insisted she couldn’t walk any further without some kind of support. 

Of course, Luke knew this was just an excuse for her to touch him. He wasn’t oblivious to the way she batted her eyelashes at him, sending compliments about his physique every chance she got. It wasn’t just her, either. Ever since he turned 17 last month, his popularity with the female campers in camp half blood seemed to increase tenfold. He couldn’t say he didn’t enjoy the attention, and he often indulged the girls in their flirtations when he was bored. It also proved to be convenient as well, whenever he needed to charm information out of them or convince them to take on his cleaning duties.

But Luke didn’t- could not- take these endeavours seriously. It was just his luck that the one person he craved this type of interest from did not see him that way. And although he was good at figuring out the type of emotions these girls held for him, he could not, for the life of him, figure out what Thalia Grace was thinking of most of the time. 

Even now, as she huffed angrily and trudged down the path in front of him, Luke found himself confused and bewildered. Thalia had been uncharacteristically quiet during this quest, and the few times she spoke was when it had to do with the quest, or to criticise Victoria rather harshly. 

When Thalia had snapped at Victoria (for the third time that hour) for walking too slow, Luke had raised an eyebrow at her and asked her what she had against Victoria. 

Thalia had looked at him with a hurt expression and exclaimed dejectedly, “You’re taking her side now?” 

Luke had fumbled for words, wanting to explain himself, but before he could, Thalia had turned and started walking the trail by herself. Luke hated seeing her so closed off and he wondered what he had done so wrong. Not for the first time, he wished he could read her as well as he could read the other girls at camp. 

As they neared the cave, a young man aged around eighteen jogged towards them in a tracksuit. He was blonde and had shades on along with a blinding smile on his face. 

“Hey! I’m Apo- Fred. You guys seem like such nice kids!” the man said. 

Victoria gaped at the man. “Dad?” she gawked. 

“Do I look old enough to be one?” he asked, voice laced with tease. 

Luke not so subtly stepped on Victoria’s foot. Thalia seemed pleased with this. 

Although this man was clearly the sun god, it was better not to question him. After all, they all knew gods were not allowed to help demigods on quests. It was a miracle Apollo was trying to help them, they might as well accept it and entertain his cover. 

“So, Fred,” Luke tried. “Would you like to-” Apollo interrupted him and Luke tried not to take offense to that. 

“I’d better hurry, but word of advice from a fellow jogger: there’s birds in that cave.” Then, he burst into a haiku about flesh eating birds and ran off, winking at Thalia before he did so. 

Victoria still looked perplexed. “That was my dad,” she said. 

Thalia nodded. “He’s hot,” she said. 

Luke snapped his neck towards her. “You think he’s hot?” Thalia shrugged. Victoria gaped. “He’s my dad! You can’t!” 

He tried to ignore the bubble of annoyance in his stomach that had started to grow when Apollo winked at Thalia and alarmingly grew larger when Thalia called him hot. What was so hot about him? With his bleached hair and blinding smile, it hurt to look at him. Was it the tracksuit? Luke wondered if he looked as good as Apollo did in a tracksuit. He wondered if Thalia would find him hot then. 

Shaking his head, he listened to Thalia’s authoritative voice devising a plan to avoid the flesh-eating birds. The sooner they could obtain the item and be done with everything involving Apollo, the better. He couldn’t help but think: if they were still on the run, they wouldn’t be on this stupid quest. 

3\. 

He was nineteen now, and he, Thalia and Annabeth had been at camp for nearly five years. It felt nice to talk to them and enjoy each other’s company without having to look over their shoulders for monsters every few minutes. Still, it didn’t mean he didn’t miss being on the run sometimes. Sometimes, he wished it was still just the three of them with no outsiders trying to force their way into their dynamic. 

Case in point: the newest camper, Elijah something-or-the-other. He was an undetermined and seemed shy enough but here he was, grinning at Thalia as she threw her head back and laughed at something he said. 

Luke stopped in his tracks as he saw the two, heart clenching uncomfortably. Elijah leaned in a bit closer and murmured something else against her ear, and Thalia erupted in peals of laughter once more. Luke glared. 

You’re too fucking close, you prick. He wanted to scream. Get away from her. But he stayed silent and glared at the two, hoping they’d turn and Thalia would run to him and brighten up like she always did when she saw him. He imagined her hugging him tight, as he looked at Elijah smugly. Maybe he’d get the hint then. 

But they didn’t turn, and Thalia did not run up to hug him. Instead, they continued to talk and giggle. What the fuck was so funny? 

Just then, Connor Stoll slithered up to him and snaked an arm around his shoulders. “New guy didn’t get the memo, huh?” he asked. 

Luke frowned. “What memo?” 

“That she’s your girl.” 

Luke spluttered and turned red. “What?! She- Thalia’s not mine.” As soon as he said those words, he realised how much he wanted them to be true. 

Connor rolled his eyes. “You guys are practically dating,” he said. “Just tell her you like her already.” 

Flustered, Luke slapped his arm away from his shoulders. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Why would you deny it? It’s literally so obvious.” 

Thalia squeaked as she laughed and Luke directed his attention to Elijah and her again. He frowned. They were still talking? 

Connor whistled lowly. “You think they’re gonna date?”

“Who?”

“Thalia and Elijah. They seem to be getting on well.” 

Luke’s mood soured even further. “Connor?” 

“Yeah?”

“Shut the fuck up.” 

“Right.” 

The next day, Luke made sure to practice sword fighting with Elijah again and again, even when Elijah nearly passed out from exertion. He felt a little guilty then, but he remembered the way Thalia looked when she laughed at Elijah’s jokes and couldn’t care less. 

+1 

It was one of those rare moments where it was just the three of them; Luke, Thalia and Annabeth. They were laughing and exchanging stories and if Luke concentrated hard enough, it was almost like they were aged fourteen, twelve and seven once more, with no one to rely on but each other. 

Thalia was leaning against his shoulder as she laughed at the way Annabeth was talking animatedly, and Luke felt his heart beat at an alarming rate. The places where she leaned against him seemed to warm up like hot coffee, and he tried not to feel too disappointed when she pulled away to stretch her arms. 

His nerves were impossible around Thalia and he was certain she would figure out his feelings in no time if he didn’t find a way to control the way his cheeks redenned around her. But then again, he had been in love with her for 5 years now, and she had no clue. 

“Annie, go to bed.” 

Annabeth pouted. “I’m twelve now, I don’t need to go to sleep at eight.” 

Annabeth and Thalia began to glare at each other for what seemed like forever, before Annabeth blinked and groaned. Thalia grinned in triumph. 

“Alright. Goodnight guys,” she said as she turned to go. 

“Goodnight, kid,” Luke said, ruffling her hair as he did so. Annabeth blushed and shoved his hand away before retreating to her cabin. 

It was just the two of them now, Thalia and Luke, just like old times. When they never left each other’s side for even a second; not when they were asleep, eating, or even to change clothes. One night, Luke had been drunk and had recounted how close they were to the Hermes cabin. That afternoon, he had seen Elijah throwing an arm around Thalia and had been thrown into a particularly strong bout of yearning for the old Elijah-free days. He didn’t know what he had been expecting; certainly not Connor and Travis snickering loudly and proclaiming that Luke had been friendzoned by Thalia Grace. 

For a long moment, Luke and Thalia sat in comfortable silence, shoulders brushing. Luke was very conscious of the fact that this was the first time that they had been alone together in a very, very long time. He coughed and turned to look at Thalia. 

Promptly, his heart skipped a beat. It seemed to be doing that a lot more these days when he was near Thalia. The moonlight shone on her face and highlighted her upturned nose and dazzlingly electric eyes. Her mouth was slightly agape as she stared at the constellations above them and Luke’s heart hurt from longing. 

“The sky looks so beautiful,” she said. Luke hummed in affirmation, eyes never leaving her. 

She looked at him from the corner of her eye and Luke tried not to feel too giddy. 

“She has a crush on you, you know?” Well. That was not what he was expecting. 

“Who?” 

“Annabeth.” Luke choked. “No way.”

“Yes way! She’s got it bad.” 

Luke frowned. “She’s like a kid sister to me!” 

“So you don’t like her?” 

“What?! Of course not! She’s twelve.” 

Thalia shrugged. “Alright, but go easy on her okay? It’s not easy having feelings for someone when you know they won’t reciprocate.” 

Oh, Luke knew that feeling all too well. He glanced at Thalia who had a somber expression on her face. She was gazing upwards, lips pursed down and eyes lidded. 

Suddenly, he felt his insides go cold. He cleared his throat and asked, dreading her answer, “You speaking from experience?” 

Thalia nodded. Any hope he had of Thalia sharing even an ounce of the feelings he had for her seemed to break down, piece by piece. Of course Thalia had someone she loved. Beautiful, brave Thalia. An image of Elijah and Thalia surfaced in his brain, and once he thought of them, he couldn’t seem to shake it off. This hurt more than he thought it ever could. 

Eyes burning, he turned to her and said, “I’ll support you. You know that right?” Thalia frowned at him, confused. “If you ever decide to tell him, that is.” 

“Tell who?” 

He really didn’t want to do this. “Elijah.” 

Her brows furrowed even deeper. “What does Elijah have to do with this?” 

“What doesn’t he have to do with this? You like him, don’t you?” 

Silence. Then, the shrill sound of Thalia’s laughter echoed in the night air. Luke frowned. What was so funny now? 

Thalia shook her head. “Are you kidding? Elijah’s not my type.” 

Luke breathed out a sigh of relief and felt a load of tension lift off of his shoulders. “He isn’t?”

“No. Not at all.” 

“Then… Apollo’s your type?” 

Thalia’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she turned to face him. “You jealous?” she placed her hand on his. 

Luke felt like he was burning from the inside. Suddenly feeling very brave, he met her eyes. “Yes.” 

She leaned in close and their lips touched. 

They had kissed once before, years ago after Thalia had successfully stolen a jar of peanut butter without his help. She had been high on adrenaline and he had been so proud of her, and she had placed a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling back after hearing the growl of a hellhound a street over. Shortly after that, they had met Grover and really hadn’t had a chance to talk about it. Luke assumed she had forgotten. 

One thing about camp half blood: they could kiss all they wanted without having to worry about hellhounds attacking them at any moment. They kissed until the bells of the curfew sounded and the last of the campers had gone inside their cabins. They kissed some more the next day, and that afternoon, and that evening. 

Luke didn’t think he had been this happy, ever. Having his feelings reciprocated after years of yearning and assuming the worst really, really paid off. 

Maybe camp half blood wasn’t so bad after all.


End file.
